One of the most prominent landscape painters of the 19th century, Albert Bierstadt established his reputation with grand-scale and dramatically conceived “Great Pictures” of the American West that embodied the national agenda of expansionism known as Manifest Destiny. A Storm in the Rocky Mountains, Mt. Rosalie, an 84 square foot canvas that stands as a pivotal work in Bierstadt’s very public career, was the most important painting to result from the artist’s second western expedition, in 1863.To promote public anticipation of the painting, Bierstadt had engaged the writer Fitz Hugh Ludow to accompany him on the expedition and chronicle their westward trek for a number of newspapers and periodicals. He executed the canvas after his return to his NY studio. It debuted here in NY before being sent on a yearlong national tour. See this painting on view at the Brooklyn Museum.